Container with integral suction tube



i Tune 10, 1958 J, OPPENHEI'MER ETAL 2,838,220

CONTAINER wm INTEGRAL SUCTION TUBE Filed May 25, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 RT I EE m H N V A N E R I P C Y P E OM N R m O i T E I T J BY w June 10,1958 J. OPPENHEIMER ET AL 2,

CONTAINER WITH INTEGRAL SUCTION TUBE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 23, 1955QINVENTOR. JESS OPPENHEIMER BY WILLIAM CRANE JR.

2,838,220 CONTAINER WITH INTEGRAL SUCTION TUBE Jess Oppenheimer andWilliam Crane, Jr., Los Angeles, Calif.; said Crane assignor to saidOppenheimer Application May 23, 1955, Serial No. 510,074

3 Claims. (Cl. 229--7) This invention relates to beverage containers andmore particularly to such containers having incorporated therein, as anintegral part thereof, a tube or channel to permit the imbibition of thebeverage by suction.

An important object of the invention is the. provision of a beveragecontainer having a suction tube formed in a sidewall thereof in anintegral and simple manner. A further object of the invention is toprovide such a beverage container in which the sidewalls thereof, or incertain cases the sidewalls, top and bottom, as well as the suctiontube, may be formed from a single preformed sheet or blank of paper orother suitable material.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a beverage containeror carton having sidewalls, top and bottom, and a suction tube formedintegrally with a sidewall communicating with an opening in the top ofthe container which opening is exposed for use by the removal of asanitary protective and sealing member.

An additional object of 'the present invention is the provision of adrinking cup construction having a suction tube formed integrally in thesidewall thereof and extending substantially to the edge or lip of thecontainer, such cup with its tube formed from a single blank of sheetmaterial. A still further object of the invention is the provision ofsuch a cup formed of relatively light and flexible sheet materialwherein the suction tube is reinforced to minimize collapse during use.

Ayet further object of the invention is the provision of a simple methodfor forming containers of the type above described from sheet material.

Further objects of the invention and advantages thereof are described inthe following specification and drawings which illustrate severalembodiments of drinking vessels and cartons constructed according to theinvention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing one type of beverage carton towhich the invention is applicable.

Figure 2 is a view corresponding to Figure 1 but partly in cross sectionto show the tube construction and with the sanitary sealing cap open.

Figure 3 is a plan view of a precut blank of sheet material used informing the carton illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a plan view of an alternative type of preformed blank alsoused in forming cartons of the type shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 are cross-sectional views showing the sidewalls ofthe carton of Figures 1 and 2 as formed from the blanks of Figures 3 or4, illustrating the sequence of folding operations.

Figure 8 is a vertical cross section taken along lines 8-8 of Figure 2illustrating the construction and arrangement of the suction tube.

Standard types of dairy cartons comprise blanks which are cut, scoredand glued to'form flat tubular knockeddown containers. Such cartonblanks after folding and gluing are shipped in this form to the packagerof the en g Patented June 10, 1958 dairy products. The cartons areusually set up by machines which erect the cartons and .close thebottoms, after which the cartons are waxed or 'paraflined tomoistureproof the material and seal the points. The cartons are thenfilled and closure is effected by suitable means. Other types ofbeverage containers as well as paper cups, may be formed and shippedprior to filling and use.

Referring to the drawings in detail, Figures 1-8, inclusive, aredirected to one form of the invention as adapted to a rectangular typeof beverage container as commonly used for beverages such as milk, fruitjuice, or thelike. Container 20 is formed with a bottom 21 and top 22 ofsheet paper. A protective sealing cap 23 is formed with an overhanginglip portion 24 in order to provide a sanitary area for reasons whichwill appear below. In Figure 3 is illustrated a precut blank of heavypaper in which the sidewalls, top and bottom have been preformed. Thisblank is formed with top and bottom 21 and 22. The top is formed with acenter hole for filling and pouring and also has a small opening 25inone corner. Sidewall areas 30,31, 32 and 33 are defined by crease orfold lines shown by dotted lines separating each area. ,In order topermit the formation of the integral tube referred to, one sidewall area30 is formed with areas 27, 28 and 29 adjacent one end of the blank asshown, defined by fold or crease lines formed by pressure or crimping asshown by dotted lines 35, 36, 37. Areas 27 and 28 are formed with atriangular or other shaped cutout area 38. The other end of the blank isformed with an extension 34.

In forming the carton the blank is folded flat with the sidewall areasas shown in Figure 5, in such a mannet that area 29 is adhered to theinner surface of side panel 33, with extension 34 being adhered to theouter surface of panel 30 as shown more clearly in Figures 6 and 7. Thisis done by means of an adhesive applied to the contacting areas. Afterthe sealing, the flattened assembly is opened to form the rectangularmember illustrated in Figure 7, first passing through the stage shown inFigure 6. During the unfolding the tube is formed by areas 27 and 28being forced inward bending at lines 35, 36 and 37, with the walls ofthe tube being formed by areas 27, 28 and portions of side panels 30 and33 as shown in Figures 6 and 7. The top and bottom are then folded overand the edges united to the sidewalls by crimping the edge areas definedby the dotted lines shown by way of example by 39 and similar areas inFigure 3. The edge crimping results in a structure as shown at 40 and 41of Figure 8. The assembly is carried out so that the top edge portionsof areas 27 and 28 abut against the bottom surface of the top of thecarton. After assembly the container is usually dipped in wax to form aliquid-proof and leak-proof container. If desired, the paper of theblank may be formed with a preliminary wax coating and the points sealedby heat and pressure during assembly, with a wax after dip being used ifnecessary. In order to insure a fluid-tight seal the edge andcorresponding areas of the cover on the inner surface may be providedwith an extra layer of wax or other adhesive material so that duringassembly the edges are sealed to the cover.

The resulting suction tube is formed integrally with the sidewalls ofthe container as shown in the cross-sectional portion of Figure 2 withareas 29 and 34 adhered to the corresponding walls. By lifting up member23 which has been attached to the cover the area covered by flap portion24 is exposed. When the lips of a person desiring to drink the contentsare placed over the corner area and over opening 25, the contents arereadily imbibed with suction passing through opening 38.

Figure 4 illustratesan alternative form of'blank similar tothat shwninliisu 3. bu w t t p n b tom portion attached. In this form thefolding of the sidewalls is carried out in the same way but with the topand bottom portions -,b,ei ng aflixed separately in the conventionalmanner 'by.,cri mp ing or otherwise. This results in thecarton-beingformed with .sidewalls 30a, 3;1a, 32 33a and with flap portions,,29a;and,34a;adhered ,to,the sidewalls inthesame manner ascorresponding ,portions aretadhered inaFigures 6 and 7. ffhetubeisformed along lines 65a, 56a :and 57a ,with areas 27a and 28a foldedinward. Top edge 40a abuts the inside of the cover and, iinecessar:y,.--rnay be adhered as described above.-

tFurther modification may be made in the present invention withoutdepartingfrom the :spirit thereof.

Having thus described theinvention, What is claimed and-desiredto beprotectedby Letters Patent is:

.1. A beverage container having a polygonal horizontal cross-section.with a plurality of sidewalls, and bottom and top portions affixedthereto to form said container, said sidewalls being formed of a sheetof material with vertical edge portions overlapping and adhered adjacentone corner of the container, one of said edge portions being foldedinwardly of the container longitudinally of the corner and intermediatethe overlapping edges to define with-theoverlapping opposite edge andwith the corner of the container an elongated tube extendinglongitudinally of the sidewalls, said inwardly folded edge portionhaving an opening adjacent the'bottom of the container onlyto provide aninlet opening, the top of the resulting tube terminating at and engagingthe top of the container, a corner opening in the top portion of thecon- 4 tainer coextensive with and communicating with the upper end ofthe tube to provide an outlet opening in the top of the containercommunicating with the interior thereof, a second opening in said topportion communicating with the interior of the container, said openingsthereby providing separate inlet and outlet means for fluid, and aremovable protective flap covering both of said openings and extendingto the corner of the container to seal theicontents, said contents beingcapable ofbeing imbibed by raising of said protective flap and theapplication of suction through the lips of a consumer to;the opening inthe corner of said top portion.

2. A beverage container according to claim 1 wherein the container has arectangular horizontal cross-section with four sidewalls.

3. A beverage container according to claim 1 wherein the protective flapextends to the corner and depends downwardly over the sidewall areasadjacent thereto in order to provide a protective covering over an areaadjacent to the outlet opening of the tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,154,584 Rossi Apr. 18, 1939 2,220,746 Wentz Nov. 5, 1940 2,456,735Roselle Dec. 21, 1948 2,459,130 Jones Jan. 11, '1949 2,487,100 CohenNov. 8, 19.49 2,581,516 Cohen Jan. 8, 1952 2,617,559 Van Der Spek Nov.11, 1952 2,676,744 Basclt Apr. 27, 1954

